Support for garments and the like



Feb. 23, 1960 G. J. POLLOCK SUPPORT FOR GARMENTS AND THE LIKE 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 1, 1955 INVENTOR. ammo/v J. POL LOCK ATTORA/EYS.

Feb. 23, 1960 G. J. POLLOCK SUPPORT FOR GARMENTS AND THE LIKE 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 1, 1955 INVENTOR. GORDON J. POLLOC K ATTO eN575.

Feb. 23, 1960 G. J. POLLOCK 2,925,916

SUPPORT FOR GARMENTS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 1, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet sINVEN TOR. 7+ GORDON J. POLLOCK GZ/LMxIOWJZJ ATTORNEYS- United StatesPatent O 2,925,916 SUPPORT FOR GARMENTS AND THE LIKE f Gordon J.Pollock, rarm ohio Ap u afion December 1,1955, Serial No. 550,363 j 11Cl. 211-86) This invention relates as indicated to a novel garmenthanger and the like adapted for use'in supporting a wide 2,925,916Patented Feb. 23, 1960 2 Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail view of suchupper tray mounting means;

variety of different articles and especially suited for I mounting oncloset doors and the like.

"In most modern housing and particularly in apartment houses, "thereisoften a very drastic lack of ade quate storage space for garments andmiscellaneous articles such as shoes, neckties and the like.- Variousdevices "have beendesigned for attachment to the inner sides'of closetdoors in order to make use of this space which'iso'rdinarily. largelywasted. Most of these devices, however, require to'be screwed or boltedto the door, 'and this is often not desired inasmuch as the door ;isthen permanently marred. Furthermore, such de- "vices are quiteimpractical when metal doors are involved, and such metal doors areincreasingly employed. A further practical difliculty resides in thefact that dif- :.ferent types of supports and arrangements of the same-.are desired in different installations, but such supports previouslyavailable have not been adequately flexible -.and adjustable to meetthis demand.

' It is accordinglyan important object of my invention tto provide aremovable support which is adapted to be, :s'ecured to closet doors andthe like without in any way marking or marring the same. I Anotherobject is to provide such support adapted to :mount a variety ofdiiferent devices in adjustably selected positions, such devicesincluding tie racks, shoe Jacks, garment'hangers, shelves and mirrors.

A further object is to provide such support which may he quickly andeasily installed by any purchaser and which will be very inexpensive ofmanufacture.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the des'cription proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said inventionthen comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexeddrawing etting forth' in detail certain illustrative embodiments of theinvention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the variousways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

" In said annexed drawing:

Fig.1 is a perspective view of a closet door or the like having oneembodiment of my new support mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view of one of the vertical elementsand associated parts shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectiontaken on the line 33 on Fig. 2; I i

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a closet door or. the

like having another modification oftmy new support mounted thereon andcarrying a tray, a garment rack, a mirror and a lower. tray;

Fig. 5 is a'fragmentary detailview of a portion of the upper tray ofFig. 4taken on the line S- -S on Fig. 6 .andshowing the manner in whichsuch tray may be clipped to an appropriate bracket;

Q Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail'view taken on the line on Fig. 8 andshowing the manner in which the garment rack may be mounted on theunderside of the upper tray; I

' Fig. 8 is a view at right angles to Fig. 7 taken on the line 8-8 ofFig. 7;

- Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view of another form ofmirror mounting means and associated comb tray or the like;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary detail view illustrating a preferred form ofsegmental vertical element adapted to be folded as shown in Fig. 11 tofacilitate shipping and storage; and

Fig. 12 illustrates a modified form of end clip adapted to be utilizedin conjunction with the usual sheet metal door.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1-3 inclusive of the drawing,Fig. 1 illustrates an ordinary wooden closet door 1 to which a supportembodying the principles of my invention is attached. In the form thereshown, two pairs of vertically extending elongated metal rods or tubes2, 3 and 4, 5 are interconnected by means of a generally U-shaped sheetmetal member 6. The opposed ends of the rods are inserted throughapertures 6a in such sheet metal members and upset as at 7 for retentiontherein. It is accordingly a simple matter to fold these extendedaligned pairs of rods into halflength units as best illustrated in Figs.10 and 11. Sheet metal clips 8, 9, 10 and 11 are adapted to be hookedover the upper and lower margins of the .door and are provided withapertured outwardly protruding flanges 12 adapted to extend normal tothe side of the door. The respective outer ends of the four rods areinserted through such apertures in said flanges and secured therein bymeans of wing nuts such as 13 and 14. Tightening of such wing nuts, ofcourse, serves to tension the rods and to' secure the clips 8, 9, 10 and11 tightly in place; Bracketclips suchas 15 and 16 are secured to suchvertically extending rods, desirably comprising two opposed sheet metalstampings such as 17 and 18 secured together and thereby clamped to oneof such rods by means of screws such as 19. -The inner ends of suchbracket clip members are formed with the laterally flaring flangeportions 20 and 21 adapted to bear against the adjacent face of thedoor. Sockets such as 22 are struck up from the sheet metal bracketclips'to receive the ends of transverse metal rods such as ends 23a ofrods 23, these ordinarily being deformed to project outwardly a furtherdistance from the side of the door. Such crossbar 23 is suitable forhanging ties, for example. Similar clip assemblies 24 and 25 may carrynot only a transverse bar 26 with ends 26a corresponding to bar 23 andends 23a but also an upwardly projecting transverse bar 27, the ends ofwhich are inserted in similar struck-up sockets, the two bars togetherbeing adapted to receive and support shoes inserted therebetween withthe heels of the shoes resting upon upper bar 27.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 4-9 inclusive of the drawing, amodified assembly is there illustrated providing supports for a varietyof different articles. The vertical rods 28 and 29 which may, of course,be jointed in the manner described above carry a plurality of themounting clips arranged in horizontal pairs 30, 31; 32, 33; 34, 35; and36, 37. Wire angle brackets 38 and 39 are supported in clips 30, 32 and31, 33, and serve as a support for a sheet metal tray 40. As shown inFigs. 5 and 6, such tray may be detachably snapped onto the horizontalportions of bracket members 38 and 39 by means of clips such as 41attached to the underside of downwardly projecting flange portions 42. i

A Wire coat hanger support 43 may be suspended from tray 40 centrally ofthe latter, the ends of wire 43 being carried by shelf 44. I T i Asshown in Figs. 4 and'9, a mirror 45 may be mounted on transverse members46 and 47 with ends 46:; and '-47a respectively by means of clips 48,49, 50 and 51 secured to the back thereof. A lower tray 52 may besupported below the mirror by its out-turned lip 52a resting ontransversely extending wire bracket 53, the latter being carried by theclips 36 and 37 on vertical rods 28 and 29.

As shown in Fig. 12, my new device is particularly adapted for mountingon metal doors, the upper and lower ends of which are commonly ofchannelform cross-section. Thus, sheet metal clip 54 is rebent rathersharply to fit over upper flange 55 of door 56, the vertical supportingrods such as 57 being secured in horizontal flange 58 of the 'clip bymeans .of wing nut 59. This construction has the further advantage thatwhile the support is thus attached to the door without permanentlyma'rring the latter, the end members are nevertheless not visiblefromthe other side of the door.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have achieved the severalobjects of my invention in a simple andconvenient manner allowing a widerange of choice to the user in the arrangement of the various devicescarried by the support. 1

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention i may beemployed, change being made as regards the details described, providedthe features stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent ofsuch be employed.

I therefore'part-icularly point out and distinctly claim as myinvention:

1. A door-attachable article support structure comprising a pair of rodsadapted to'e-xtend parallel to each other substantially the entirevertical extent of such door, each such rod'being in two sections with ahinge joint therebetween, sheet metal hook members of general U-shapeadapted to fit-over the upper and lower door endshaving apertur'edflanges projectiugin horizontal planes normal to such door, theends ofsaid rods'being inserted through such apertures, wing nuts threaded onsaid rod ends to secure them in said'flanges and also to tension saidrods to tighten said hook members on such door; sheet metal bracketclips-mounted on'said rods for adjustmentvertically therealong, saidclips comprising pairs of opposed sheet-metal members adapted to embracesaid rods therebetween, screws joining said members together for ad:justably gripping said rods, said members having lateral flange portionsadapted tobear against such door to prevent rotation of said clips aboutsaid rods, said clips-having sockets formed therein; and rigid elongatedwire members adapted to extend transversely between said clips on saidrods, said wire members having angularly bentend portions adapted to fitin'said sockets and space the main portions of said wire members fromsaid clips.

2. The structure of claim 1, including agenerally U- shaped sheet metalhingemember havingopposed apertures therethroughto receive the opposedends-of said rod sections, such ends being enlarged to preventwithdrawal through such apertures, and such apertures-extendingintoparallel oppositely flaring flanges on said member to permit saidsections to lie side-by-side when desired.

3. A door-attachable article support structure comprising a pair ofelongatedvertically tensionable'rods, hook members of general U-shapeadapted to fit over the upper and lower ends of such door, tensioningmeans adapted to secure the end portions of said rods to said respectivehook members for tensioning of said rods to tighten said hook membersonsuch door, bracket-membersv adjustably clamped on each-said red at thesame level, a wire cross piece having angularly bent end portionsinserted in said respective brackets with the main body of saidcross-piece thereby spaced substantially outwardly from such door, and atray with'an out-turned lip around its upper edge removably supportedunderneath said lip on said cross-piece and fitting between the same andsuch door.

4. A door-attachable articlesupport structure comprising a pair ofelongated vertically tensionable rods, hook members of general U-shapeadapted to fit over the upper and lower ends of such door, means adaptedto tension said rods after said hook members are in place, each said rodbeing in two sections to facilitate packaging and shipment, meansconnecting the opposed ends of said sections comprising a U-shape sheetmetal member having precisely oppositely out-turned end flanges, saidU-shape member having two similar symmetrically located apertures eachpartially in a side of suchuand in the adjoining flange, the ends ofsaid sections extending through such respective apertures and beingenlarged to prevent withdrawal therefrom, whereby such ends may bedirectly axially opposed or alternatively swung into side-by-siderelationship, and means on said rods adapted to support articlesthereon. p

5. A door-attachable article support structure comprising an elongatedverticallyextending rod, thookmembers of general U-shape, adapted tofitoverthe upper and lower ends of suchdoor having flanges projecting inhorizontal planes normal to such door, tensioning means adapted tosecure each of the end portions of said rod to the flange on one of saidhook members, said tension ing means lying above and below said flangeson said hook members at the upper and lowerzends of such doorrespectively, bracket members adjustably clamped onto said rod byscrewmeans to permit vertical positioning along said rod between saidhookmernbers, and article supporting members mounted on said bracketmembers on said rod.

6. vAdoor-attachable article-support structure comprising'an elongatedvertically tensionable rod made up of a plurality of sections,longitudinally adjacent sections slidably connected by a member having apairof apertures in opposedportions, means on the adjacent ends of eachsection to prevent therespective end from passing outwardly through itsaperture, hook members ofgeneral U-shape adapted to fit over .the,upperandlower ends of -:such ,door,tensioningn1ean5 adeptedto secureeach of theend portions oflsaid rod to one of said hookmembers, bracketmembers adjustably clampedpnto said seetionstorpermit verticalpositioning between'the ends of said sections, and article supportingmembers mounted on said bracket-members. 1

7.A door-attachable article support ,structure comprising a pair ofelongated vertically tensionable rods each madeup of a pluralityofsections, longitudinally adjacent sections slidably connected by amemberhaving a'pair of apertures in opposed p0rtions,:means on theadjacentends of each section to prevent the respective end from passingoutwardlythrough its aperture, hook members of general U-shape adaptedto fit over the upper and-lower ends of such door, tensioningmeansadapted to: secure-eachof the endportionsrof said rods to one of saidhook members, bracket members adjpstably clamped onto said sectionstopermitvertical.positioning betweenthe ends of such sections, andarticlesupporting members having. endsimounted in, saidbracket memberson said respective rods and bridging the space between said rods.

8. A door-attachable-article} supportstructure comprisinga pair ofelongated vertically tensionable; rods-each made up of a plurality ofsections,:longitudinallyadjacent sections being slidably-"mountedin-apertures ina member, means effective to prevent-the opposedends'ofsaid adjacent sections 'from passing outwardly :through .the

apertures in said member, hook members of general U- shape adapted tofit over the upper and lower ends of such door, longitudinal tensioningmeans on said rods to tension said rods after said hook members are inplace, bracket members embracing said rod sections and verticallyadjustable along substantially the entire length thereof, and wirecross-members bridging the space between said rods and having endsremovably inserted in said bracket members.

9. A door-attachable article support structure comprising a pair ofrigid elongated rods adapted to be mounted in parallel verticallyextending position spaced from the inner surface of such door, said rodseach comprising a plurality of separate sections, means adapted tosecure said sections together in substantial longitudinal alignment,hook members secured to the respective ends of said rods adapted toengage the upper and lower ends of such door to secure said rods theretospaced from the inner surface of such door, said structure includingmeans for tensioning said rods longitudinally thereof to hold said hookportions in tight engagement with such door and to rigidify saidstructure, article supporting crossmembers adapted to extendhorizontally between said rods, means on the respective ends of saidcross-members adapted to engage said corresponding rods for adjustablepositioning of said cross-members therealong, thereby furtherrigidifying said structure by cross-bracing said rods, and brace meansintermediate the ends of said rods adapted to engage such door andassist in holding said rods outwardly spaced from such door.

10. The article support structure set forth in claim 9 wherein saidtensioning means also serves to secure at least one end of said rods tosaid corresponding hook portions.

11. A door-attachable article support structure comprising a rigidelongated rod adapted to be mounted in a vertically extending positiongenerally parallel to but spaced from the inner surface of such door,said rod comprising a plurality of separate sections, means adapted tosecure said sections together in substantial longitudinal alignment,hook portions secured to the respective ends of said rod adapted toengage the upper and lower ends of such door to secure said rod againstremoval and thereby to hold said rod spaced from the inner surface ofsuch door, said structure including means for tensioning said rodlongitudinally thereof to hold said hook portions in tight engagementwith such door and to rigidify said structure, an article supportingmember adapted to extend horizontally, transversely of said rod, meanson said member to engage said rod for adjustable positioning of saidmember vertically therealong and thereby to hold said member spaced fromsuch door, and means intermediate said hook portions to hold said rodspaced from such door further to rigidify said structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS494,868 Kelly Apr. 4, 1893 971,438 Gillitt Sept. 27, 1910 1,242,345Grimm Oct. 9, 1917 1,571,283 Long Feb. 2, 1926 1,581,313 Gannon Apr. 20,1926 1,896,898 Hildebrand Feb. 7, 1933 1,983,670 Knight Dec. 11, 19342,066,824 Cohen Jan. 5, 1937 2,270,796 Hauser Jan. 20, 1942 2,470,524Scudder May 17, 1949 2,508,527 Martin et al Mar. 23, 1950 2,635,763Notes Apr. 21, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 136,435 Sweden July 8, 1952

